396 XT portable

[georgesharpe]

I've got a question for anybody that knows. On March 5, 2011, I bought new a BC 396 XT portable scanner from Radioworld Toronto. I'm quite sure that what was included with this radio was: The radio, a DC adaptor, a rubber duckie antenna, Uniden Scanner User Guides CD, and that was it. There was no computer interface cable.

Today, I called Radioworld and they advised me that getting one of these was $55. O.K., fine I ordered it, as I KNOW for 100% for sure that it was not in the box when I opened it, however the salesman told me, today that it should have been included in the box with the radio. If so, is there anyone out there that when they bought this radio, that this computer interface cable was in fact in the box with the radio. If anyone knows please get back to me.

Thanks

 

[mule1075]

Mine came with the supplied serial cable.

 

[doctordialtone]

The radio, a DC adaptor, a rubber duckie antenna, Uniden Scanner User Guides CD, and that was it. There was no computer interface cable.

396XT In the box

"In addition to the BCD396XT scanner, accessories included in the box include a PC interface cable, three “AA” 2250 mAH rechargeable batteries, wrist strap, AC adapter/charger, swivel belt clip, rubber duck antenna, BNC/SMA adapter, and an owners manual on CD. "

 

[pro106import]

I have two of them, and yes, everything doc said that was included was also in my units. And one was a Uniden factory refurb but still included the Com cable.
- Bob

 

[Volfirefighter]

This is the programming cable for that scanner,

Uniden USB-1 Programming Cable (BC246/396/330/230/95/996/15/XT)

 

[mule1075]

This is the programming cable for that scanner,

Uniden USB-1 Programming Cable (BC246/396/330/230/95/996/15/XT)

Yes but that is not the one included with the scanner.

 

[Volfirefighter]

Yes but that is not the one included with the scanner.

The one included with the scanner will not work with Windows 8 or 10.

 

[mule1075]

The one included with the scanner will not work with Windows 8 or 10.

Mine works just fine with a usb to Serial cable on both of those operating systems.

 

[Volfirefighter]

Mine works just fine with a usb to Serial cable on both of those operating systems.

Many USB to serial converters did not work past Windows 7 which prompted Uniden to release the USB-1 cable. I had that issue with both my BCD396XT and BCD996T.

From Uniden:

Uniden USB-1 Cable
Important Windows 8 and 10 Information
The current Prolific Driver, as delivered through their web site and through Windows Update for Windows 8 and 10, will not work with older USB cables that use the PL2303HXA chipset. To use these drivers you must have a current USB-1 cable that uses the PL2303HXD chipset. If your cable was bought before 2013 you need to buy a new cable.

 

[kruser]

Many USB to serial converters did not work past Windows 7 which prompted Uniden to release the USB-1 cable. I had that issue with both my BCD396XT and BCD996T.

That's why I use FTDI based adapters. I've never had an issue with them with any version of Windows since they added USB support.
Prolific based chipsets are much of the problems people encounter with an OS above Win7. Of course the counterfeit Prolific chipset did not help matters for Prolific either.

To the OP, YES, the needed cable was indeed inside the box. Both for the 396 and 996 models. In both, it was tucked away nearly invisible in the inner packaging as discussed in the link docordialtone provided.
I think many people threw them away with the box. I had one that I kept the box it came in. Two years after I bought the radio, I read about the missing cables and looked in my boxes. Sure enough, one still had the cable in the box.

 

[kruser]

The one included with the scanner will not work with Windows 8 or 10.

Say what? The original cables that came with the x96XT models were "dumb" serial cables. Nothing about them plugged into a USB port nor did these cables have any electronics in them at all.
If you did not have a serial port on your computer, you had to purchase your own USB to serial adapters.

 

[Randy_Vick]

Many USB to serial converters did not work past Windows 7 which prompted Uniden to release the USB-1 cable. I had that issue with both my BCD396XT and BCD996T.

From Uniden:

Uniden USB-1 Cable
Important Windows 8 and 10 Information
The current Prolific Driver, as delivered through their web site and through Windows Update for Windows 8 and 10, will not work with older USB cables that use the PL2303HXA chipset. To use these drivers you must have a current USB-1 cable that uses the PL2303HXD chipset. If your cable was bought before 2013 you need to buy a new cable.

Users with that "older" cable can still use it by installing an "older" version of the Prolific Driver. I've been doing it ever since updating to Windows 10.

 

[fxdscon]

Users with that "older" cable can still use it by installing an "older" version of the Prolific Driver. I've been doing it ever since updating to Windows 10.

This is correct, I've also been using my older USB-1 cable with WIN10 that I purchased with my newly released BCD996T way back in mid 2006.

The older drivers can be installed in WIN10 and work just fine. At some points, when there is a major update to WIN10, that older driver has to be re-installed, but that's a very minor caveat.

.

 

[georgesharpe]

Thanks, everybody for all your help. It turns out that maybe when I opened the box at my sister's place, I may have not recognised the cable and thought it was part of the excess packaging that often makes it quite hard to put all the contents back in the box (We all know that one!) to transport it home on the plane. I recall some plastic wrap that would not fit back in the box, that was discarded, and it may have had the cable in it? Anyway, that cable the way it was, with that 9 pin end on it, would have made it impossible for me to use. So, now I have the proper USB type cable on it's way to me and all is well. I was thinking of a case for this radio, but what is out there is too pricey. More than likely, a dollar store or a garage sale may yield something, that I can modify to function as a suitable protective case.